


Princes of the Universe

by mightstill



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-02-08
Updated: 2009-02-08
Packaged: 2017-10-20 17:51:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/215478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mightstill/pseuds/mightstill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack tells the Doctor what he's been meaning to say for a long time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Princes of the Universe

"Doctor?"

He's wet. He's so wet he's shivering, white shirt translucent and clinging to him like a second skin, suit darkened to a deep chocolate, hair falling in his face and dripping. Jack notices that the light that's normally in his eyes is dull. He steps closer to the Doctor, slowly, afraid he'll spook him. "Doctor, you're.. Where's Donna?" he asks suddenly, finally realizing the Doctor's alone.

The Doctor's arms are hanging limply by his side instead of his usual stance of shoving his hands in his pockets and possibly rocking back on his heels. "Gone." His voice is quiet and lacks any sort of emotion. Jack's not sure if this is how the Doctor always copes when he loses a companion or if this is a special case - he wasn't there when the Doctor lost Rose. He could ask what happened, where Donna is and if she's okay - anything to get the Doctor talking and maybe get that haunted look off his face. It's only been a week since he last saw the Doctor, when they defeated Davros and the Daleks and brought Earth back home, but for all he knows for the Doctor it could've been years. He doesn't ask though, he doesn't need to know and the Doctor's not freely giving up the information so Jack takes the hint to back off that line of questioning.

He steps closer again, close enough to take the Doctor's hand in his. "You're freezing," he finally says, and the Doctor just nods in agreement. A laugh bubbles up in Jack's chest that he can't quite stop. "We should get you inside. You'll catch your death of cold out here, and Martha will never forgive me if you have to regenerate for a reason as silly as that." He turns to lead the Doctor into the Tourist Office but feels the Doctor's hand grip his tighter and tug him back.

"Jack.." he starts, but doesn't quite know where to finish. Jack sees his eyes focus on him and the light start to return them, though it's not a particularly happy over-all look. Jack's reminded a little of the Daleks' name for him - the Oncoming Storm. "Jack.." he starts again, stepping close enough to pull him into a searing kiss. Jack's startled at first but it doesn't take very long for him to melt into the kiss, wrapping his arms around the thin, still sopping wet man. The Doctor pulls back after a few moments, still clinging to the lapels of Jack's coat and leans his forehead against his. "Jack, please... Don't..." he stops again and shakes his head as if to organize his thoughts. "I'm sorry, but you're still _wrong_ , and I can feel that. I feel that through every pore of my body.. but I don't _care_ , because at least..." He closes his eyes for a moment and Jack realizes the Doctor is crying. "At least you won't leave me. You can't because you're wrong but you're special and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I need..."

Jack quiets the Doctor's rambling with a kiss (honestly, he's always wanted to do that) while he thinks of what to say. He's never seen the Doctor like this before. Desperate, yes, but never like this. Never because he's lonely and tired, never because he's heartbroken and empty. Jack brings a hand up to rest on the Doctor's cheek, and sighs. "I love you. I always will. You've had me wrapped around your finger since 1941 and a child asking for his mummy. You call and I come running. Will always come running, sometimes literally." He stops there and takes a breath, then presses another kiss to the Doctor's lips, just because he can. "But Doctor.... I've already left you. I was with you until I _died_. The small glitch that I came back doesn't negate that."

The Doctor loosens his grip a little on Jack's coat but doesn't step away. "But you spent all that time looking for me. I'm _here_ now. Not running this time."

Jack nods and sighs. He looks up a little at the Doctor, brushing away an errand tear with his thumb. "I know," he says quietly, his voice slightly strained. It hurts to do this, but he knows where he belongs. "But I am. I'm sorry." He leans in as if to kiss him again, and then thinks better of it and pulls away entirely. Jack doesn't tell the Doctor that if he were to leave with him right now that he doesn't know how he'll survive when the Doctor dies permanently and he doesn't (because he never will). He doesn't tell the Doctor that he's carved out home here, with Ianto and Gwen and whoever else Torchwood will take in in the future, and that even though he'll have unbearable pain when they die he thinks it's a pain he needs to go through. Instead he just turns and walks away from him.

Jack doesn't notice, as he walks back to the Tourist Office, that it's started raining again, hard.


End file.
